Wetland, Woodland, Wildland: A guide to the natural communities of Vermont is well-known to anyone curious about Vermont’s forests, wetlands, mountaintops, and shores. A completely updated second edition will come out in November.
This new second edition, co-authored by Elizabeth Thompson of the Vermont Land Trust, and Eric Sorenson and Robert Zaino of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, incorporates recent scientific research about the state’s natural communities and includes descriptions of seventeen newly recognized natural community types. With photographs, line drawings and user-friendly writing, the new edition brings each natural community to life on the page. These updates will better inform amateur naturalists and professional scientists alike.
“Natural communities help us understand nature. When people can see patterns across the landscape, they have a better appreciation of nature and a heightened sense of responsibility to protect it,” says co-author Elizabeth Thompson.
Natural communities are also important for the conservation of plants, animals and habitats in Vermont. “They’re places our native species thrive,” said co-author Eric Sorenson. “If we understand and conserve all our natural communities, we will keep those species abundant. That’s why all three organizations that collaborated on Wetland, Woodland, Wildland use natural communities in their work.”
The book is published by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, The Nature Conservancy, and the Vermont Land Trust, and it is distributed by Chelsea Green Publishing. It is currently available for pre-order online (https://vtfishandwildlife.com/wetland-woodland-wildland) and is expected to be for sale in local bookstores by November 15.
To celebrate this new edition, the authors will present a slide show entitled “Wetland, Woodland, Wildland: a Pictorial Tour” on Tuesday, November 12, at 4:15 pm in Room 102 of the George D. Aiken Center at the University of Vermont. Books will be for sale and the authors will be available to sign them. Light refreshments will be provided.